Tanaka tossed batting practice on June 18. It was the first time he faced hitters since an intra-squad game on February 23. He threw forty pitches, including breaking pitches, to three Ikusei players. He allowed two could-be hits and threw eighteen pitches for balls. He is slated to pitch an inning during a San-gun rehab game against Saibu Gas on June 23.

Tanaka pitched in a San-gun exhibition game against Saibu Gas today. He entered the game in the fifth inning and did not allow a run over an inning of work. He faced three hitters (F9, Ks, F7), threw thirteen pitches (just one breaking pitch), and topped out at 144km/h.

Tanaka pitched in a batting practice scrimmage today. He faced twelve batters (combination of Kyle Jensen, Ryoya Kurihara, and Kaisei Sone), allowed one hit, struck out two, and walked one. This was the first time he face hitters since a San-gun game on June 23.

Assuming no setbacks, he could pitch in a San-gun inter-league game on either August 22 or 23.

Tanaka threw about sixty pitches in the bullpen on September 7. He is slated to pitch one inning during a San-gun game against the Ehime Mandarin Pirates on September 10. This will be his first outing since a San-gun game against the Tokushima Indigo Socks on August 23.

If Tanaka is feeling okay after his appearance on September 10, he could pitch in another San-gun game on September 13 against the Kochi Fighting Dogs.

Tanaka started a Ni-gun game against Hanshin today. He gave up two runs on two hits over three innings of work. He threw forty-two pitches and topped out at 149km/h.

Tanaka retired the side in order in the first and third innings. He allowed two runs to score after recording two outs in the second inning. He walked Yutaro Itayama, Itayama stole second, he allowed a run to score on a timely hit by Naoto Nishida, Nishida advanced to second on a wild pitch, and he gave up another timely hit to Shinya Azuhata.